Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan is urging the executive department to consider declaring a state of calamity amid the looming threat of El Niño on the country’s food supply.
The chair of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Food, and Agrarian Reform warned that prolonged drought could devastate the agriculture and fisheries sectors, threaten farmers’ and fisherfolk’s livelihoods, and undermine the country’s food security.
“Ang tanong rin, hindi ba dapat dahil limang rehiyon na ang tinatamaan ng El Niño base sa datos ng D.A, hindi ba dapat mag dekara na ng national state of calamity ang ating national government para magkaroon na ng dagdag na suporta at pondo dahil nga narito na ang El Niño?,” he said in his opening statement for the budget proposal hearing of the Department of Agriculture (DA) on Wednesday, October 21.
The senator noted that El Niño has already started damaging crops and affecting livelihoods in at least five regions.
“I believe the executive department should seriously consider a state of calamity declaration so we can better address the challenges of Super El Niño,” he stressed.
DA Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. supported the lawmaker’s call for the government to declare a State of National Calamity.
“That is a very good idea, in my opinion, and I do agree that mas maganda mag-declare tayo dahil from all indications, it’s a super El Niño—PAGASA, you know everybody in the world is saying it, so I think we better act fast, Mr. Chair,” the DA chief said.
To address the impact of Super El Niño, Pangilinan is pushing for the approval of the DA’s proposed P171.3-billion budget for 2027, which he said should prioritize irrigation.
“Ang national budget na ito ang gagamitin para tuloy na makapagtanim at makapangisda ang ating mga magsasaka at mangingisda, para merong sapat na suplay ang ating mga pamilihan at makakayanan (bilhin) ng pamilyang Pilipino ang kanilang susunod na kakainin,” he said.
The country’s weather bureau earlier warned that the effects of El Niño will be felt until the first half of 2027, with the DA estimating a loss of about 700,000 metric tons of rice production in the second half of next year.
High temperatures and water shortage will also impact livestock, fishpond, and fisheries, the DA said.
Aside from the readiness of the country to face Super El Niño, Pangilinan also tackled issues of agricultural smuggling, overimportation, underutilization of funds, tariff on pork imports, the Israel-Iran-US war, farm-to-market roads, and the delay in the establishments of food hubs, among others.
########